The present invention relates generally to a system for increasing the utilization of electronic gaming devices, such as slot machines or arcade video games, by providing players with an additional incentive for continued play, and more particularly, to a system for allowing players of electronic gaming devices, such as slot machines, to access premium entertainment services, such as premium web sites, pay-per-view services and shared-revenue telephone services, directly from the electronic gaming device.
Slot machines, such as video poker, video keno or video blackjack devices (hereinafter, collectively referred to as xe2x80x9cslot machinesxe2x80x9d) or other electronic gaming devices, such as arcade video games, are an important source of income for the gaming industry and arcades. Accordingly, many casinos and arcades constantly search for marketing strategies and programs to appeal to players and to distinguish their electronic gaming devices from competitors in the industry. For example, as an added incentive to play the slot machines, many casinos offer xe2x80x9cslot clubxe2x80x9d programs to reward slot machine players. Each player in a slot club is generally issued a player tracking card encoded with his identification number. The casino awards xe2x80x9cplayer reward pointsxe2x80x9d for the player as he plays slot machines in that casino. The xe2x80x9cplayer reward pointsxe2x80x9d can generally be redeemed for merchandise or services at the casino hotel. In many cases, however, these incentives may not be sufficient to attract new players or to retain existing casino players at slot machines.
Thus, a number of programs have been implemented or suggested in an attempt to retain players at slot machines and other electronic gaming devices. For example, many casinos provide players with various forms of entertainment and services directly at the slot machine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,613, entitled xe2x80x9cCasino Entertainment Systemxe2x80x9d, discloses an entertainment system for slot players in a casino which includes audio/video equipment at each slot machine for communicating with a central control station. The operator at the central station selects audio/video programming from a menu of available selections, for presentation at one or more of the slot machines in the casino. The available audio/video programming is obtained from a number of conventional sources, including a VCR, an audio tape deck, a live camera or microphone and commercial television broadcasting sources, including cable television programming.
Unfortunately, such conventional casino and arcade entertainment systems have experienced only marginal success in retaining players at slot machines and other electronic gaming devices. Since many players can already access a wide variety of programming sources directly from their home, the current video programming is generally not a sufficient novelty to keep a player playing at a slot machine.
In addition, it is well known that many hotels and casinos provide their guests with a variety of xe2x80x9cin roomxe2x80x9d entertainment services, including pay-per-view video programming. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,411, entitled xe2x80x9cInteractive System for a Closed Cable Networkxe2x80x9d (the xe2x80x9c""411 Patentxe2x80x9d), which describes a video-on-demand system, for use in a hotel or hospital environment. The ""411 Patent discloses a system having a connection to each hotel room for presentation of various multimedia information, including premium pay-per-view services from remote sources. In addition to connecting guests to remote pay-per-view sources, a guest can access a gaming device, such as a video slot machine, for play from their private room via the closed cable network. The system disclosed in the ""411 Patent, however, does not permit a guest to simultaneously access such gaming devices, while viewing a premium pay-per-view service.
As apparent from the above-described deficiencies with conventional systems for retaining players at electronic gaming devices, such as slot machines, a need exists for an electronic gaming system that allows players to access premium entertainment services, such as premium web sites, pay-per-view services and shared-revenue telephone services, such as 900 or 976 services, directly from the slot machine or other electronic gaming device as an incentive for continued play. In addition, a further need exists for an electronic gaming system which evaluates the current level of play or prior playing history of a particular player for determining whether the player is entitled to access the premium entertainment services. Yet another need exists for a publicly accessible electronic gaming system which permits coins to be deposited as payment for access to a premium entertainment service, regardless of whether or not the player is actually playing the electronic gaming device.
Generally, according to one aspect of the invention, a player will be permitted to access premium entertainment services, such as premium web sites, pay-per-view services and shared-revenue services, such as 900 or 976 services, directly from the slot machine or other electronic gaming device for as long as the player meets the entitlement requirements established by the casino or arcade, discussed below, for accessing such premium entertainment services (the xe2x80x9cestablishment-specific criteriaxe2x80x9d).
In one embodiment, each slot machine or electronic gaming device accesses the premium entertainment services via a centralized network server. When the network server is notified that play has commenced at a particular slot machine or other electronic gaming device, the network server preferably evaluates establishment-specific criteria to determine whether the player should be offered access to premium content entertainment services while playing. In one illustrative embodiment, the establishment-specific criteria can offer access to the premium content entertainment services on the following basis: (i) unlimited complimentary usage to all players whose prior playing history meets predefined criteria, (ii) unlimited complimentary usage to all players on certain classes or types of electronic gaming devices, (iii) limited complimentary access to those players whose current level of play meets or exceeds a predefined threshold, or (iv) access.in exchange for a cash payment or player reward points awarded as part of a slot club or an arcade incentive program, regardless of any current level of play.
If the establishment-specific criteria for offering the player the premium entertainment services is met, a menu of the available premium entertainment services is preferably transmitted to the slot machine or other electronic gaming device for display to the player. The player thereafter enters his selection of a desired premium entertainment service, which selection is transmitted to the network server. Upon-receipt of the player""s selection, a content database is preferably accessed to retrieve information required by the network server to access the selected content provider, such as the appropriate external network and network address to be utilized, as well as any required account number and/or password. A connection is thereafter established by the network server between the electronic gaming device and the selected content provider.
Once the connection to the selected premium entertainment service is established, the network server preferably monitors the player""s level of play to determine if the establishment-specific criteria for maintaining access to the selected premium entertainment service is being met. As previously indicated, in an illustrative embodiment, the establishment-specific criteria will maintain the premium entertainment services for (i) all players on certain classes of electronic gaming devices, regardless of the player""s current level of play; (ii) certain players based on their prior playing history, regardless of the player""s current level of play, (iii) for those players whose current level of play meets or exceeds a predefined threshold, and (iv) for those players who provide a cash payment or player reward points awarded as part of a slot club or an arcade incentive program.
If the establishment-specific criteria for maintaining the premium entertainment service is not being met, a disconnection warning is preferably transmitted to the player with information on how the connection to the premium entertainment service can be maintained by the player. For example, the player can maintain the connection to the premium entertainment service by (i) complying with the casino""s (or arcade""s) level of play requirements to maintain complimentary access; (ii) depositing coins in the electronic gaming device or otherwise providing an additional payment; or (iii) allowing a deduction of earned credits from current play prizes or player reward points.
After receiving the disconnection message, the connection to the premium entertainment service will preferably be terminated if the player does not perform one of the indicated steps for maintaining the connection. Once the connection is terminated, an entry of the connection session is preferably made in a connection record database.